To be panicking that I haven’t ever given 5-month-old vit D?

[FrogOfFroggHall]

I realised this today as I stumbled across the bottle. I absolutely knew I should do it but my toddler lost the bottle in the early days and out of sight out of mind. Just haven’t thought about it in months. I have just been so frazzled and now really beating myself up.

Obviously will start now. Will it make any difference? She’s nearly 6 months old now and EBF.

You're being too harsh on yourself. Just start now. I sometimes forgot to do it with my second, it happens.

Definitely a thing, we got given the drops by midwife with both babies. But I was definitely a bit lax with them with DD2! They both take a vit D supplement daily now they are a bit older as do DH and I. Most people in the UK should, especially over winter. I wouldn’t worry about it, OP, it’s not a big deal at all.

I'm Scotland too. My adult boys were breast fed too, no extra vitamins or supplements and they are 2 strapping healthy lads. Don't stress 😀

Never gave mine any supplements and were fine, just ensure they get sunlight daily (fine through summer) the only group I had been told really need supplements are north of Scotland through winter as not enough daylight often to get them outside and those with dark skin as they don’t absorb enough sunlight from our northern climes

It is just a recommendation really isn't it? Not you must give your baby.

It’s fine to start now and no harm will have been done. But vitamin D is really important for everyone to take between Oct-March in this country.

Yes, baby and I are like you - very pale with fair hair. Although this does mean I’ve been covering her up a lot outdoors so she won’t have had loads of sun - it has been an unusually good summer here though so maybe that helps all the same!

I have 5 DC, all were EBF. My youngest is 15, oldest 33, and I was never once advised to give any supplements to any of them. They’re all very fit healthy and sporty.

It’s bizarre and frankly a bit unbelievable to me that breast milk is not enough for a baby; if that really were the case then the human race would have died out millennia ago.

Thanks all for your replies. I’m going to get a small stockpile of vitamins so they won’t get lost again, and set a daily reminder on my phone. I still feel a bit crap about having missed something so basic, but am at least somewhat reassured that she hopefully won’t develop any awful health problems because of this.

Baby has a sibling with disabilities which have taken all my energy just to manage to a minimum level the past few years. Things have improved a lot and I now finally have some capacity to worry about the little things… and it seems I am REALLY worrying about the little things…

My DS is about to enter 2nd year of uni studying Law. He is well over 6 foot tall, sporty and built like I walk around with personal protection :)

We are in the North of England and I have never given him vitamin D, as a baby or since.

There's so many things society gets to beat new mums up with. If your baby is happy and healthy, youre doing a great job 👍

I am not sure it’s a good idea to downplay the importance of vitamin D.

Of course OP’s baby will be absolutely fine. But it’s recommended for a reason and the NHS do not recommend many supplements. There’s a huge amount of science and data behind this. I have been part of a study on vitamin D and cancer for example.

You can get a bottle of NHS vitamins A C and D from your local clinic for a couple of pounds. Five drops a day. Much better than expensive ones from high st chemists!

DD is 15 and was ebf. Advice then was to introduce vitamin drops at 6 months. She (and all her ebf peers are absolutely fine). We’ve had a good summer so assuming you’ve taken her out in the pram most days, she’ll have made a lot of her own vitamin D over the last few months. I really wouldn’t worry.

I agree, I think it’s the only supplement the NHS recommends as a blanket thing for everyone (maybe folic acid for all women in pregnancy is the only comparator). This isn’t a Holland & Barrett advert telling everyone to take it.

My kids are 19, 14 and 6 and not one of them have had vitamin D supplements. I didn't even know this was a thing! My kids are all healthy, rarely unwell and are good weights and heights so I don't really think this is something you need to worry about.

I did the same, and EBF, I simply forgot or was unaware. I was paranoid she would develop rickets because of it (bow legged) but she's hasn't and she's fine. She's 3 now.

Vitamin D deficiency is a huge problem in this country. Hence the NHS recommendations. Deficiency is linked to many conditions as it is actually a hormone.

You can obviously apear fíne and have a deficiency. I would encourage everyone to take it and give it to your children.

Severe, prolonged deficiency can lead to a whole host of conditions. We really shouldn’t be dismissing this. For example, low vitamin D has been linked to certain cancers. Low vitamin D is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease…

I don’t know why anyone would not take it.

I will reiterate that OP’s baby will be absolutely fine. It’s been summer and they are only 5 months old. But I would start the drops now as we go in to autumn and winter.

Really? When was this decided? I didn't do this for my dc, but they are old now

Oh that's interesting

I was given Vit D drops when DD was born 16 years ago. Rickets was on the rise.

You need to be out all day to get the recommended allowance of sunlight in the UK, that’s why the NHS recommends it.

Really. No idea when it was introduced as I’m not a doctor, I have small children and this is the advice given currently.

incidentally, my husband was told he is vit-d deficient and should take a supplement. The doc said that most people are and should supplement.

At least 2012, if not before.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7c59a3ed915d338141e3af/dh_132508.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

I was given vitamin D drops for my little one ebf given the advice is to keep them out of direct sunlight too it does make sense he’s 2 now but I wouldn’t worry @FrogOfFroggHall just start now. She’s been through the sunnier, lighter seasons probably won’t make any difference it’s to help absorb calcium and I’ll bet you’re getting plenty of that to make sure it’s in your milk x

My understanding from my Doctor was that everyone should probably take Vit D. This came to light following a blood test carried out on DS when he was about 18. It highlighted low Vit D, but the Dr said it was actually no lower than most people in the UK who were actually tested, and suggested that everyone in the family take it to avoid him feeling there was a specific problem.

DH and I still take it every day, but DS didn't want to after a few weeks.